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332 SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
SECTION IX
REPORT OF CUBAN WORK FOR 1945
M. N. McCALL. Superintendent
All phases of the work have gone forward during, the year without interruption
and with encouraging results. Cuba has been passing through a period
of inflation which has caused some hardships to the workers and to the work.
Following the example of the brethren in the States, Cuban Baptists set a
, goal of 500 baptisms during the year. The number of professions was large
but we did not reach the goal of baptisms. However, there was an increase of
, over fifty per cent above the previous year. We are suffering an acute housing
• shortage which bids fair* to last for some time to come. This creates difficulty
in keeping rented quarters and getting new places for missions. European refugees
came in large numbers during the war. We expected them to return to their
native lands after the war, but most of them seem to have made themselves at
home, or are waiting in the hope of entering the United States, This accounts
in part for the shortage in living quarters. In addition to this, Cuba's population
is increasing rapidly from natural causes. According to the census of 1943
our four western provinces have a population of 2,934,375. This has no doubt
. reached three million at the present time.
PHASES OF WORK DONE
Evangelism.—Special attention has been given to evangelism. Special
meetings have been held at every point more than once during the year. Most
places report the best meetings in their history. Ministerial students, working
in teams of two, accompanied the evangelists during three months. For evangelists
we had to depend on pastors who left their fields for this special work for
winter and spring campaigns. Radio evangelism has continued. The church
in Havana has continued to broadcast its Sunday morning service. This covers
the island and there is evidence that it reaches large numbers. Cruces has
continued its Sunday services at a different hour, over a local station, which
covers well Santa Clara province. The Santa Clara church was offered the
use of a daily fifteen minute period, which it uses with good results.
Educational work.-—The school in Havana, Colegio Bautista, enrolled 192
during the year in all grades and is doing a real mission work. A number of
primary schools operated by native pastors, without expense to the Board, have
also rendered good service. These for the most part lack suitable equipment.
The Seminary and Training School.—Ten young men and eight young
women have been in preparation. We had no graduates during the year but
four of the young men and one of the young women will be ready to go into
active work in a few months.
Publication work.—The Baptist Printery has operated continuously, and in
spite of paper shortages has had a busy year. Large numbers of tracts, pamphlets,
mission programs, hymn books and other smaller publications have been
produced, in addition to our denominational paper, La Voz Bautista. This
last has grown considerably in circulation during the year.
Chapel Building.—Chapels destroyed by a storm were built in Jacomino and
Guasimal. New chapels have been built at Palmira, Cotorro and Punta Brava,
a suburb of Caibarien. Purchases of property were made at eleven points,
at five of which there are houses which are used as temporary chapels. Three
other chapels are under consideration.
NEEDS
1. Equipment.—The housing difficulty makes it imperative that we equip ou
fields with modest chapels and workers' homes. Something has been done
along this line but much more remains to be done. Two hundred thousand
dollars to be spent on chapels and homes in the next two years would be a
conservative estimate of present needs.
2. A School of Institute Grade.—For over twenty years we have had an excellent
school site but so far have not been able to build. A boarding school of
Institute grade would help many Baptist young people who now have to go to
government schools or to schools of other denominations. We need to hold